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Carson Reno #13
Dead End
Is this the end of Carson Reno? Has he finally reached the end of the road - his ‘Dead End’? Is this Carson’s last adventure?
While trying to protect a client for Jack Logan, Carson finds himself in the middle of a family feud – a deadly feud with skeletons AND bodies hidden in all the family closets.
Murder, blackmail, infidelity, counterfeit money and, of course, the Mafia send Carson in search of a client that doesn’t want to be found. In fact, finding the client could turn out to be the worst solution for Carson Reno and his friends.
Join Carson as he follows clues and stumbles down a road of mystery. A road with a bad ending – a ‘Dead Ending’!
While trying to protect a client for Jack Logan, Carson finds himself in the middle of a family feud – a deadly feud with skeletons AND bodies hidden in all the family closets.
Murder, blackmail, infidelity, counterfeit money and, of course, the Mafia send Carson in search of a client that doesn’t want to be found. In fact, finding the client could turn out to be the worst solution for Carson Reno and his friends.
Join Carson as he follows clues and stumbles down a road of mystery. A road with a bad ending – a ‘Dead Ending’!
205 pages, Paperback
First published March 27, 2015
1 person is currently reading
13 people want to read
About the author
Gerald W. Darnell
34 books144 followersA Florida native, Gerald grew up and attended high school in the small town of Humboldt, Tennessee. Following graduation from the University of Tennessee, he spent time in Hopkinsville, KY, Memphis, TN, Boston, MA and Newport, AR before moving back to Florida – where he now lives.
Gerald worked as a Senior Manager with several Fortune 100 companies, before officially retiring in 2007. His non-fiction book, ‘Don’t Wake Me Until It’s Time To Go’, is a bio-narrative including humorous stories and events spanning his life from pre-high school to retirement.
His fiction books are what he calls ‘Fiction for Fun’. They use real geography and include pictures and characters some readers might recognize. The ‘Carson Reno Mystery Series’ are adventure mysteries set in the early 1960 time period, with the primary geography being Memphis and small southern towns. Core characters continue through each book, along with new and unique characters for each story.
During the early 70's the author worked from an office in the Memphis Peabody Hotel, so many of the events about the hotel in Carson Reno’s stories are real, as well as many of the characters you meet.
His books are available at selected bookstores, gift shops, on-line and through Amazon and Barnes and Noble . e-books are available at Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes and Noble’s Nook formats.
Gerald worked as a Senior Manager with several Fortune 100 companies, before officially retiring in 2007. His non-fiction book, ‘Don’t Wake Me Until It’s Time To Go’, is a bio-narrative including humorous stories and events spanning his life from pre-high school to retirement.
His fiction books are what he calls ‘Fiction for Fun’. They use real geography and include pictures and characters some readers might recognize. The ‘Carson Reno Mystery Series’ are adventure mysteries set in the early 1960 time period, with the primary geography being Memphis and small southern towns. Core characters continue through each book, along with new and unique characters for each story.
During the early 70's the author worked from an office in the Memphis Peabody Hotel, so many of the events about the hotel in Carson Reno’s stories are real, as well as many of the characters you meet.
His books are available at selected bookstores, gift shops, on-line and through Amazon and Barnes and Noble . e-books are available at Amazon’s Kindle and Barnes and Noble’s Nook formats.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
May 1, 2016
Free book for honest review. juliesbookreview.blogspot.com
Carson Reno is mystified when his friend Jack Logan asked him to ‘protect’ Cletus Wormlee
until Cletus can testify before the Memphis Grand Jury. Cletus’ situation doesn’t make sense to
Reno, and when he moves Cletus to Humbolt, Tennessee for his protection, Cletus sneaks away
and seems to fall victim to a shotgun blast. But does he? And, what role does private
investigator Lilly Longstreet, ‘working’ for an associate of Cletus’, play in Cletus’ apparent
death? Just who the hell is Hampton Forbes anyway, and why does he keep hounding Reno and
Longstreet looking for Cletus’ personal belongings?
The stage is set for another 1960’s era nostalgic Carson Reno, private investigator, mystery in
and around the Memphis area of western Tennessee and eastern Arkansas. Liberally sprinkled
with nostalgic photos of many of the buildings, vehicles and other landmarks from a bygone era,
the author weaves a fine mystery tale in and out through the streets of Memphis and Humbolt,
leading out to places like Jonesboro, Amagon and the isolation of the rice fields of eastern
Arkansas. Laced with characters whose personalities blend perfectly into a sixties era detective
story, avid readers of the genre can often predict what the characters will do or say; and are not
disappointed when the characters perform as expected.
Dead End is very entertaining, quick to read and provides real tension until the very end. As a
story, it is a fine representative of the genre that is bound be appreciated by aficionados of classic
detective stories. The nostalgic photos reinforce the images in the reader’s mind, while providing
a glimpse into the author’s thoughts as well. They are fun even if slightly distracting. However,
the copy I reviewed contained a number of typographical errors; not enough to be distracting, but
enough to warrant very careful proofreading. Overall, Dead End is a very good entertaining
mystery story.
5-Stars,
Clabe Polk
Carson Reno is mystified when his friend Jack Logan asked him to ‘protect’ Cletus Wormlee
until Cletus can testify before the Memphis Grand Jury. Cletus’ situation doesn’t make sense to
Reno, and when he moves Cletus to Humbolt, Tennessee for his protection, Cletus sneaks away
and seems to fall victim to a shotgun blast. But does he? And, what role does private
investigator Lilly Longstreet, ‘working’ for an associate of Cletus’, play in Cletus’ apparent
death? Just who the hell is Hampton Forbes anyway, and why does he keep hounding Reno and
Longstreet looking for Cletus’ personal belongings?
The stage is set for another 1960’s era nostalgic Carson Reno, private investigator, mystery in
and around the Memphis area of western Tennessee and eastern Arkansas. Liberally sprinkled
with nostalgic photos of many of the buildings, vehicles and other landmarks from a bygone era,
the author weaves a fine mystery tale in and out through the streets of Memphis and Humbolt,
leading out to places like Jonesboro, Amagon and the isolation of the rice fields of eastern
Arkansas. Laced with characters whose personalities blend perfectly into a sixties era detective
story, avid readers of the genre can often predict what the characters will do or say; and are not
disappointed when the characters perform as expected.
Dead End is very entertaining, quick to read and provides real tension until the very end. As a
story, it is a fine representative of the genre that is bound be appreciated by aficionados of classic
detective stories. The nostalgic photos reinforce the images in the reader’s mind, while providing
a glimpse into the author’s thoughts as well. They are fun even if slightly distracting. However,
the copy I reviewed contained a number of typographical errors; not enough to be distracting, but
enough to warrant very careful proofreading. Overall, Dead End is a very good entertaining
mystery story.
5-Stars,
Clabe Polk
December 23, 2015
Author Gerald Darnell writes a potent crime story in DEAD END, a spellbinding mystery that is fast-paced and exciting.
Carson Reno, a smart and competent character, has his heart is in the right place. He's not going to quit, no matter what happens, no matter what it takes. If you're in trouble, he's going to come save your bacon. In this novel, he is set on a mission to find and protect his friend Jack Logan's client. Where it takes him is into the dark side of small-town Tennessee; where murder, blackmail and organized crime reigns.
Though this is the thirteenth book in the Carson Reno Mystery Series Once, it can also be read as a stand-alone novel. Once more, you can count on Gerald Darnell for action both physical and cerebral, a bit of humor and romance, and a mighty good dose of adventure and mystery. I think fans and newcomers alike will get hooked and will want to read the entire series.
Carson Reno, a smart and competent character, has his heart is in the right place. He's not going to quit, no matter what happens, no matter what it takes. If you're in trouble, he's going to come save your bacon. In this novel, he is set on a mission to find and protect his friend Jack Logan's client. Where it takes him is into the dark side of small-town Tennessee; where murder, blackmail and organized crime reigns.
Though this is the thirteenth book in the Carson Reno Mystery Series Once, it can also be read as a stand-alone novel. Once more, you can count on Gerald Darnell for action both physical and cerebral, a bit of humor and romance, and a mighty good dose of adventure and mystery. I think fans and newcomers alike will get hooked and will want to read the entire series.
January 1, 2016
Suspenseful and funny! I love a book that surprises me in some way. This book was a great read for me. I love the funny times were you would think a suspense book would not be funny. It reminds me of some the great movies I like where they are funny when don't expect it. * I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
August 7, 2022
Carson does it again. How he remains alive is the real mystery. He gets the job done at all costs. How Lilly didn't die from alcohol poisoning from all the drinking she did (regardless of reason) is the greatest mystery. It bothered me how she constantly drank morning, noon , and nite. Big turn off. Carson survived to fight another day.
December 14, 2017
A fun and enthralling story akin to Lee Child. The setting (both year and location) adds to the elevated level of entertainment in this narrative that’s sure to give you everything you want.
May 12, 2016
Dead End by Gerald W. Darnell is another book in his Carson Reno Mystery series. I have read another book of this series, Murder and More. I had enjoyed the murder mystery plot of that book and was curious to read another one of Gerald’s detective plots. He did not disappoint; in fact, this was a full-fledged suspense novel, which kept me on the edge of my seat. Carson Reno runs a detective agency, Drake Detective Agency. One day, he receives his lawyer and partner, Jack Logan, in his office. He brings his client, Cletus Wormhill and seeks detective Carson’s help to keep him safe. According to him, Cletus has some valuable and crucial information that may prove to be life threatening. Therefore, it is essential that Cletus remains safe until his scheduled appearance in front of the secret grand jury. This does not seem a very critical task to Carson, so he asks his associate, Joe Richardson, to a motel in Humboldt. However, his gut feeling tells him that something is very fishy and he should not trust Cletus.This “simple task” turns into a blood bath when many people, including Cletus, begin disappearing and destroyed dead bodies begin appearing.
If a mystery novel is able to capture its readers’ attention to each event and conversation of its characters, then that is definitely a book worth spending time on. Dead End gets a major plus in this parameter. The signature laid back attitude of Carson Reno is evident in the beginning chapters; however, as the plot takes a more serious turn, his attitude changes. Murder and More and Dead End, both the books show a consistency in the actions and characteristics of Carson Reno, which is a welcome trend in Gerald’s writing. His frank responses to the threats are quite entertaining. There is something about this macho behavior that develops a need for me to imagine the person exhibiting such bold character; however, the author has not mentioned Carson’s physical characteristics. With no mention of his height, build, and other traits, I had a hard time visualizing him. Of course, Gerald’s excellent dialogues made up for that minor issue. The curiosity increases exponentially until Gerald wants it to end — another welcome attribute of a murder mystery.
The narrative writing style of the author does complete justice with the demand of the plot. Other than this, the believable dialogues add to its overall appeal. The addition of graphics is another amusing factor in Carson Reno Mystery books. These graphics present cars, specific buildings, areas, and other useful objects to entertain and educate the readers.
The introduction of common characters is exactly the same in both, Dead End and Murder and More, which seemed a little strange. Another thing that bothered me was the fact that Drake Detective Agency has only one case for several days. This may be a subjective opinion, but I would have liked for Marcie, the receptionist of Carson, to inform him about messages from other potential clients. I understand that this might have jumbled up the plot a bit, but the author could have kept those other cases short and sweet while keeping the main focus on this central story.
All said and done, this book has all the elements of a fascinating murder mystery, and the fans of this genre would not be disappointed. This book would, undoubtedly, keep the readers captivated in the web of suspense.
P.S. I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
If a mystery novel is able to capture its readers’ attention to each event and conversation of its characters, then that is definitely a book worth spending time on. Dead End gets a major plus in this parameter. The signature laid back attitude of Carson Reno is evident in the beginning chapters; however, as the plot takes a more serious turn, his attitude changes. Murder and More and Dead End, both the books show a consistency in the actions and characteristics of Carson Reno, which is a welcome trend in Gerald’s writing. His frank responses to the threats are quite entertaining. There is something about this macho behavior that develops a need for me to imagine the person exhibiting such bold character; however, the author has not mentioned Carson’s physical characteristics. With no mention of his height, build, and other traits, I had a hard time visualizing him. Of course, Gerald’s excellent dialogues made up for that minor issue. The curiosity increases exponentially until Gerald wants it to end — another welcome attribute of a murder mystery.
The narrative writing style of the author does complete justice with the demand of the plot. Other than this, the believable dialogues add to its overall appeal. The addition of graphics is another amusing factor in Carson Reno Mystery books. These graphics present cars, specific buildings, areas, and other useful objects to entertain and educate the readers.
The introduction of common characters is exactly the same in both, Dead End and Murder and More, which seemed a little strange. Another thing that bothered me was the fact that Drake Detective Agency has only one case for several days. This may be a subjective opinion, but I would have liked for Marcie, the receptionist of Carson, to inform him about messages from other potential clients. I understand that this might have jumbled up the plot a bit, but the author could have kept those other cases short and sweet while keeping the main focus on this central story.
All said and done, this book has all the elements of a fascinating murder mystery, and the fans of this genre would not be disappointed. This book would, undoubtedly, keep the readers captivated in the web of suspense.
P.S. I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
August 24, 2016
Crime Fiction with Conviction
I was gifted the pdf version of this novel in exchange for an honest review.
The author succeeds in giving detective, Carson Reno, a run for his money along with the readers who follow him on a wild goose chase to find a client he’s supposed to protect, but has managed to escape.
Along every twist and turn back and forth from Memphis, Tennessee to Amagon, Arizona, dead bodies keep turning up while the situation grows more complex and confusing.
Without unnecessary words getting in the way, Reno uses the author to tell a fast-paced, well-written story which never grinds to a halt despite the pervading inclement weather and miles of slippery, snow-covered roads the detective travels throughout.
Of pure Sixties mindset in a crime novel, women are appreciated for their assets, and admired for their class, sass, and brass. Goons will be goons. Hotels, lounge bars, underground bars, and roadside dives are backdrops for conversation and developing leads, however slim at the time.
The detours and jolts along the ride make ‘Dead End’ worth the chase.
October 20, 2016
Another Suspense-filled Carson Reno Story!
Who doesn't love a good PI book? Darnell did not disappoint in this story, as he kept the Carson Reno true to himself. Dead Ends is filled with suspense and thrilling action. The characters have a great connection and chemistry, and Reno doesn't always believe what he is told. That's the PI in him. This one is a real page turner, so much that you end up re-reading pages because you are so anxious to get to the next page, but fear you have missed something important. As part of the series of Reno mysteries, it's not required to read the others, but this book makes you want to go back and read about Reno's other cases. I have read "Murder and More" and will probably go back and read others when I have the time. I like the point of view from Reno, reminds me of old detective movies, the ones in black and white, with the narration at every turn. Love this book!
Who doesn't love a good PI book? Darnell did not disappoint in this story, as he kept the Carson Reno true to himself. Dead Ends is filled with suspense and thrilling action. The characters have a great connection and chemistry, and Reno doesn't always believe what he is told. That's the PI in him. This one is a real page turner, so much that you end up re-reading pages because you are so anxious to get to the next page, but fear you have missed something important. As part of the series of Reno mysteries, it's not required to read the others, but this book makes you want to go back and read about Reno's other cases. I have read "Murder and More" and will probably go back and read others when I have the time. I like the point of view from Reno, reminds me of old detective movies, the ones in black and white, with the narration at every turn. Love this book!
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews